Matthew 23:1-28

Pharisaism Exposed

1 1Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples,
2 saying: "2The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses;
3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.
4 "3They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling * to move them with so much as a finger.#rl
5 "But they do all their deeds 4to be noticed by men; for they 5broaden their phylacteries and lengthen 6the tassels of their garments.
6 "They 7love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called 8Rabbi by men.
8 "But 9do not be called 10Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.
9 "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for 11One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
10 "Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.
11 "12But the greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 "13Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Eight Woes

13 "14But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, 15because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
14 [ "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because 16you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore * you will receive greater condemnation.
15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one 17proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of 18hell as yourselves.
16 "Woe to you, 19blind guides, who say, '20Whoever * swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever * swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.'
17 "You fools and blind men! 21Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?
18 "And, 'Whoever * swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever * swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.'
19 "You blind men, 22which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering?#rl
20 "Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it.
21 "And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who 23dwells within it.#rl
22 "And whoever swears by heaven, 24swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
23 "25Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
24 "You 26blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For 27you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.
26 "You blind Pharisee, first 28clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.
27 "29Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
28 "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Cross References 29

  • 1. Matthew 23:1-7: {Mark 12:38, 39; Luke 20:45, 46}
  • 2. Deuteronomy 33:3; Ezra 7:6, 25; Nehemiah 8:4
  • 3. Luke 11:46; Acts 15:10
  • 4. Matt 6:1, 5, 16
  • 5. Exodus 13:9; Deuteronomy 6:8; Deuteronomy 11:18
  • 6. Matthew 9:20
  • 7. Luke 11:43; Luke 14:7; Luke 20:46
  • 8. Matthew 23:8; John 6:25, 49">2John 6:25, 49; Mark 9:5; Mark 10:51; Mark 11:21; John 1:38, 49; John 3:2, 26; John 4:31; John 6:25; John 9:2; John 11:8; John 20:16
  • 9. James 3:1
  • 10. Matthew 23:7; John 6:25, 49">2John 6:25, 49; Mark 9:5; Mark 10:51; Mark 11:21; Mark 14:45; John 1:38, 49; John 3:2, 26; John 4:31; John 6:25; John 9:2; John 11:8; John 20:16
  • 11. Matthew 6:9; Matthew 7:11
  • 12. Matthew 20:26
  • 13. Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14
  • 14. Matt 23:15, 16, 23, 25, 27, 29
  • 15. Luke 11:52
  • 16. Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47
  • 17. Acts 2:10; Acts 6:5; Acts 13:43
  • 18. Matthew 5:22
  • 19. Matthew 15:14; Matthew 23:24
  • 20. Matthew 5:33-35
  • 21. Exodus 30:29
  • 22. Exodus 29:37
  • 23. 1 Kings 8:13; Psalms 26:8; Psalms 132:14
  • 24. Isaiah 66:1; Matthew 5:34
  • 25. Matthew 23:13; Luke 11:42
  • 26. Matthew 23:16
  • 27. Mark 7:4; Luke 11:39
  • 28. Mark 7:4; Luke 11:39
  • 29. Luke 11:44; Acts 23:3

Footnotes 23

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.